Liver Cancer Suffered By Most Men Than Women

Currently known more men suffering from liver cancer compared with women. Why is that?
"Asia is the largest contributor to liver cancer in the world and more male than female taxable ratio of 3:1 to 5:1 for men," said Prof. Dr. H. Ali Sulaiman, PhD, SpPD, KGEH, FACG in the event 'Levels of Life Expectancy with Liver Cancer Patients Targeted Therapy' at the Hotel Intercontinental, Jakarta, Tuesday (01/02/2011).
Prof Ali said for the countries in the Asia Pacific region as much as 70 percent of liver cancer due to hepatitis B, while for countries in Europe, America and Japan, mostly due to hepatitis C.
Until now the exact cause of why more men suffer from liver cancer is not yet clear. Some things thought to be the cause such as:

1. The existence of hormonal differences 
2. Men are more often exposed to cause hepatitis, as more outside the home
3. There is also a say because women have immune systems are stronger than men

"But it's unknown hepatitis B and C disease is most prevalent in men than women," said the doctor who received his PhD from Kobe Japan in 1989.
Travel to be fairly long liver cancer, hepatitis B virus initially enters the body and cause damage and stimulate cells beraktivasi. The result will arise nodules (bumps) on the liver if ongoing can cause cirrhosis of the liver to become cancerous.
"If the family history there who have hepatitis or cancer, the disease should be wary, because of inherited genes that can accelerate the emergence of abnormal nodules which become cancerous talent," said Prof. Ali.
Apart from hepatitis B and C, several other conditions can also be a risk factor for liver cancer such as obesity, fatty liver (fatty liver), diabetes, long-term exposure alfatoksin (toxin in peanuts), smoking and alcohol consumption as well as long-term use of anabolic steroids .
Then how to treat liver cancer?
"To determine liver cancer treatment options (hepatocelluler carcinoma / HCC) should consider several things such as stage, size of tumor, liver function and overall health status," he added.
If the condition of the patient as a whole is well known, then treatment can be done to heal (cureable) for early-stage cancer and is palliative for advanced-stage cancer.
Several treatment options for liver cancer can be done such as:
Treatments that are heal

1. Resection, ie by cutting the nodules or remove the tumor and surrounding jaingan. This technique is performed if the tumor-owned small (less than 2-3 cm) and located in one location. 
2. Liver transplantation, namely by lifting all the liver tissue and replacing it with a new liver. This technique is performed for small tumors but had severe cirrhosis.
3. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), which is using high-frequency power to destroy tumor cells. This technique uses ultrasound guidance and using electric vibration tumors can become damaged and destroyed.

Treatment is palliative

1. TACE (Transarterial chemoembolisation), namely by inhibiting the blood supply to the tumor using chemotherapy drugs are injected directly into tumors. If the blood supply is inhibited, the tumor can not get food intake so that the tumor will shrink.
2. Sorafenib, which is a drug that works by targeting tumor cells and tumor blood vessels are given to patients with advanced liver cancer who have inoperable. Sorafenib has been approved by more than 90 countries as a treatment for liver cancer and advanced stage kidney cancer. In Indonesia, sorafenib has been approved in 2008.

"Development of sorafenib is also used in patients awaiting liver transplantation process to prevent progression of disease, as well as an additional therapy in patients who had resection to prevent recurrence and prolong survival," he said.
Prof. Ali advised for people not to underestimate the disease hepatitis, should the disease get good treatment to prevent cirrhosis and liver cancer.